RIP Viva Metal Box

[MifuneFan]

For those that don't know, Viva was brought to court by Glud & Marstrand, the company that owns Steelbooks™. They hold patents for metal container packaging for movies, and thus sued Viva for patent infringement. As a result Viva is now barred from manufacturing and selling Viva Metal Boxes, at least in the US

The Court permanently RESTRAINS AND ENJOINS Defendants Viva Magnetics Ltd. (Hong Kong), Viva USA, Inc., Viva Media Packaging (Canada) Ltd., Viva Metal Packaging Ltd. and Viva Media Packaging Ltd. (collectively, “Viva defendants”), their duly authorized agents, servants, employees, and all others in active concert or participation with the Viva defendants from (a) infringing the following United States patents of plaintiff Glud & Marstrand A/S (“G&M”): 7,051,872; 7,232,032; 7,350,642; and D562,049, and (b) making, using, offering to sell, selling and/or importing (i) the Viva Metal Box for Blu-Ray and DVD products accused of infringement in this action, and/or (ii) the Digital Versatile Disk (DVD) case accused of infringement in the 2005 action between G&M and some of the Viva defendant

Initial court case document: http://www.scribd.com/doc/85682389/G...ong-Kong-et-al

[bluballer]

Dang. Viva should make and patent their own. SteelBook the company doesn't make enough to satisfy demand.

[Sinthetic]

Thanks a lot Steelbook TM.

[MifuneFan]

I wonder if Disney will switch back to Steelbooks for the US, or whether we just won't see any more metal package options coming here for future titles.

[rickah88]

Another Phase One legality snafu!

Well, Disney should be used to paying out settlements!

[gatchaman2025]

Wow, this sucks. At least they were showing the US some love. SteelBook better step up to the plate then. Viva was filling a need that they were not.

[ManUtd]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I wonder if Disney will switch back to Steelbooks for the US, or whether we just won't see any more metal package options coming here for future titles.

I hope they do.

[DetroitSquirreL]

It was only time.....

[richieb1971]

Well I am glad I bought them all.

Once the bay sells out, the prices will rocket.

[sam305]

Well I guess I will appreciate the ones that did get released in the US.

[yeslek]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I wonder if Disney will switch back to Steelbooks for the US, or whether we just won't see any more metal package options coming here for future titles.

so long as they do, I'll be more than happy

The plastic rim on Viva cases is more than unsightly. Much prefer steelbooks if given the choice

Originally Posted by Petra_Kalbrain

From the sounds of it, it doesn't state anything about exporting their product. So, I'm under the impression that the VIVA metal cases will still be manufactured and sold outside of the U.S.

FutureShop in Canada should still continue to reap the benefits of the VIVA products. Of course, this might also mean that they'd have to move the company to Canada as well.



How is that exactly? Marvel Phase one was never to include any type of metal cases (VIVA or steelbook). This will have no impact on the Phase One set. The discs were being included via those artistic designed cardboard (CD sized) cases, weren't they?

I have an Avengers Viva case....
Prior movies were not released as anything but Steelbooks in various countries (from what I'm aware....IE ONLY Avengers had a Viva relase)

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Originally Posted by yeslek

I have an Avengers Viva case....
Prior movies were not released as anything but Steelbooks in various countries (from what I'm aware....IE ONLY Avengers had a Viva relase)

And I have all the Marvel films in steelbooks with Avengers in a Viva metal case. What are you trying to tell me exactly?

You missed my point entirely. I was replying to someone who was associating this news with the potential effect it would have on the upcoming Marvel Phase One Collection briefcase... which, by the way, would be none since the collection was never going to house metal cases of any kind anyhow.

Of course, had you read the conversation, you'd realize what was really going on since the person further clarified their intentions with the original statement which had nothing to do with Viva cases or steelbooks of these films, but more with the situations that Disney has faced/dealt with regarding lawsuits against their release initiatives. First they were stopped from releasing the briefcase collection by a lawsuit. Now they are being forced to stop using Viva metal cases as their collectible case of choice.

A little reading can go a long way on forums like these.

[jonsmith369]

Why couldn't Viva get sued for those dang 4-disc, deep hub, double stacked disc plastic Blu-ray cases instead? It would be nice to see those go away, but not the metal cases.

[BeWaterMyFriend]

Kinda sucks, since I for the most part prefer the feel of the Viva cases, not to mention the awesome embossing on the Disney ones.

Then again this was inevitable and I expected this from the first time I saw a Viva case.

RIP....but hopefully Disney and other companies will partner with Steelbook to keep the goodness flowing.

[FilmEntertainment]

Disney it's time to switch to steelbook!

[acrylick]

damn now the days of $7.50 viva cases are gone

[myaddow]

What happened to the Iron Packs (i.e. Beauty & the Beast, Toy Story 3)? Did those suffer the same fate?

[laz305]

Originally Posted by jonsmith369

Why couldn't Viva get sued for those dang 4-disc, deep hub, double stacked disc plastic Blu-ray cases instead? It would be nice to see those go away, but not the metal cases.

For real right. We need to boycott those god awful cases.


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[laz305]

I hope your right. But in the mean time we get no Steelie for Peter Pan 😤


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[tilallr1]

Originally Posted by laz305

I hope your right. But in the mean time we get no Steelie for Peter Pan ��


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There was never any mention we were going to get it in the first place. Don't forget Dumbo didn't get one either.